Bira 91 On The Rocks? Leadership Turmoil Brews As 250+ Employees Seek CEO Ankur Jain’s Exit

Leadership Crisis Brewing at Bira 91: Is The CEO Up For On The Rocks?

What’s bubbling at Bira 91 isn’t just craft beer, it’s chaos.

So Now, Picture this: over 250 employees, fed up and fired up, have signed a fiery petition demanding the exit of founder and CEO Ankur Jain.

So, what is the spice behind this dispute happening at the brewery?

Delayed salaries, dried-up reimbursements, unpaid dues, and governance so murky, even the investors are losing sleep. The once-hit beer brand that made millennials toast to “chill” is now deep in the froth of financial crisis, halted production, and lawsuits stacking up like empty bottles.

Add to that failed funding, a careless name change, and a shrinking team, and you’ve got the perfect storm. Employees have had enough and are calling on big investors like Kirin Holdings and Peak XV Partners to step in. 

Bira’s Bitter Brew: What Is The Petition From Employees Against CEO Ankur Jain

In October 2025, a letter signed by over 250 employees was submitted to Bira 91’s board and major investors, including Kirin Holdings (Japan) and Peak XV Partners. The petition alleges:

• Corporate governance failures and lack of transparency.
• Salary delays of up to six months.
• Unpaid reimbursements pending since November 2024.
• Unpaid statutory dues, including:
  • Provident fund contributions (since March 2024)
  • Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) payments.
• Vendor defaults and lawsuits filed by creditors.

Bira’s Financial Hangover: What Went Wrong Behind the Brews?

Did you think Bira 91 was just fizzing with flavour? Well, behind the bubbly branding lies a bitter brew of financial chaos.

Lets pour you a glass of what’s really been happening inside the ledgers of Bira-

First up come a production flatlined. While reports say operations stopped in July 2025, CEO Ankur Jain insists it was only a “short pause” starting September.

Then comes a massive funding fail, which is estimated of about a ₹500 crore deal with BlackRock, which went flat, just when the company needed it the most.

The Numbers? Brutal thrashed!
₹748 crore in net losses for FY24, that’s more than the total revenue of ₹638 crore. And yes, sales volumes sank, fast after that.

Bira’s team has been sliced down from 700 to just 260 employees in 15 months. That’s one tough hangover.

But wait for the real twist: In 2023, the company dropped “Private” from its name while prepping for an IPO. And everyone thought that its harmless, BUT NO. It triggered re-registration requirements across states (liquor laws aren’t kind), leading to a 4–6 month sales blackout and an ₹80 crore inventory write-off.

From sizzle to fizzle, Bira 91’s brewing more trouble than beer lately.

Ankur Jain’s Response And Future Plans

Amid growing unrest, Ankur Jain has publicly responded to the crisis:

• Acknowledged salary delays: Confirmed delays of 3–5 months and acknowledged unpaid statutory dues.

• Blamed restructuring challenges:

  • Cited the name change and IPO preparations.

  • Highlighted fundraising delays and internal restructuring as root causes.

• Outlined turnaround strategy:

  • Focused on core markets and cost reduction.

  • Active pursuit of new investors, with term sheets from Global Emerging Markets (GEM).

• Denied knowledge of the petition:

  • Claimed he was not informed of any employee petition submitted to shareholders.

(With Inputs)

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